Re-forming of films of electrolytic lightning-arresters.



J. W. BROWN.

Eff-FORMING OF FILMS OF ELECTROLYTIC LIGHTNING ARRESTERS. APPLICATION FILED JANET, 1914v 1,104,620, Patented July 21, 1914.

UNITED STA JAMES WESTHALL BROWN, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

Eli-FORMING OF FILMS OF ELECTROLYTIC LIGHTNING-ARRESTERS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 7. 1914.

Patented July 2t 1914.

Serial No. 810,895.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JAMES \Vnsrruu. BROWN, of Brooklyn, New York, United States of America, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Re- Forming of Films of Electrolytic Lightning- Arresters; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to electrolytic lightning arresters adapted to protect a transmis sion line from the ett'cct of lightning'static charges. abnormal frequencies or potential due to surge ettects or resonance and the like.

The electrolytic lightning art-ester to which my invention appertains is connected in series with a spark gap inserted between the arrester and the transmission line to be protected and is of the. type wherein trays of aluminum are immersed in a suitable elec trolyte and upon which films ot' hydroxid are formed when an electric current is passed through the arrester. The spark gap is ad justed to preventthe umping of the current of the transmission line at normal voltage and a sutticient number of trays are provided to form tilms setting up a resistance to hold back such normal voltage. \Vhen this voltage is exceeded as will occur when a lightning discharge takes place over the transmission line, the current jumps the spark gap and breaks down the tihus in the ar roster and passes through the latter until the voltage falls below the critical point and at this time the iihns reform and resist further flow of current through the arrcstcr. No current passes through the arrcster under normal Working conditions and consequently the films deteriorate and it becomes necessary to periml'ically build up the. tilms by passing an electric current through the arrcster and my invention relates particularly to this charging of the arrester.

As the films ot' the arresters of the designed type are so proportioned as to break down at a voltage somewhat higher than the normal voltage of the line to be protecteik it has heretofore been considered necessary to apply the full or part potential of the line to the arrester in order to send enough cur rent through it to build up the tilms and this has been dcne by bridging the spark gap at intervals. The initial flow of the full voltageof the transmission line through the arrester results in dangerous surges and rises of potential in the line which break down insulations to such an extent that the useful ness of the arresters is practically otlset by the damage resulting from the charging of the same.

The object of the present invention is to provide means for establishing the films of hydroxid on the aluminum travs ot' elcctrolytic lightning arresters without causing surges and disturbances in the transmission line.

The desired object is achieved by isolating the arrester from the transmission line and reforming the films in the arrester by means of an electric circuit separate from or additional to that of the line to be protected. For full comprehension, however. of my in vention reference must be had to the accompanying drawings forming a art of this specification in-which similar re erence characters indicate the same parts and wherein:

Figure 1 illustrates. diagrammatically, an electrolytic lightning arrester of the described type, isolated from the transmission line and connected to the circuit. independent of the latten-in readiness to have the films built up; Fig. 2 shows a modification of the arrangement in Fig. 1 Fig. 3 is a ver tical section of an arrcster constructed ac cording to my invention; and Fig. 4 is a plan view with the cover removed.

. In Fig. l the. usual arrangement is shown. inasmuch as a horn gap 2 is inserted be tween the conductor 3 and the electrolytic lightning arrester -l'. lleretofore the arrester was charged bybridging the gap 2 and thus passing the full voltage of .he main line current through the arrcster but. as has been pointed out. this results in surges and other dangerous disturbances on the main lin and to avoid these disturbances in the charging of the arrester I first isolate the same from the main line conductor 3 by swinging one of the horns of the gap clear of the other. as shown in Fig. 1. and then charge the arrcster by any suitable available electrical circuit such as that indicated at and which is separate from or independent of that of the main line 3 and of less voltage.

As the hydroxid film of each tray resi ts electric current up to a certain voltage and therefore requires the passage of a similar voltage to build it up I consequently have the trays of the arrcster tapped otf into groups which each contain trays of a numbcr suita le to the voltage of the charging circuit Ii. These groups are then connected ltltl in parallel and a switch 6 closed to connect the charging circuit with the arrester. When the hydroxid films are completely broken down an abnormal rush of current takes place through the arrester when the switch 6 is closed and before the film comformer 8 (see Fig. 2) and utilizing the transformer as the source of the charging Current.

I n Fig. 3 I have shown one arrangement whereby the groups of trays are arranged 5 parallel. In this view the aluminum indicated at 9 and as usual located in a tank 10 which is d with oil for insulation purposes. The are tapped off into groups of equal in ntier by suitable connections such as the terminals 1.1 which are connected to the in such manner t hat the terminals of alternate groups are at opposite sides of the trays. The termin'a'ls are so designed that they will in no way in rfere with the ordinary working of the arrester and are supported by strips 11 of treated wood or o other insulating material preferably supported as shown by arns secured to the us lal supporting frame 2-1 of the aluminum At each side of the trays is a short- .ting switch consisting of a shaft 12 d in line with the series of trays and i rl preferably to the inside of the container 10. Each shaft has a contact strip 13 mounted thereon by arms 14, the contact strip being of the same. extent as or greater u an the distance between the top and hot- ".1 terminals 11. An arm 15 is connected ic curved or bent to form a conrr... face and are each electrically con- :tcd as at 1'7 to one conductor of circuit One of the arms 15 has a grip wl'iereby the arms are moved and when latter are swung in the direction of the err-0W Fig. 4, the contact strips 13 are l t into engagement with the terminals ii and connect thegroups of trays in pan llel s that when the switch (3 of the chargs 't. is closed the strips 13 and terwill short=circuit the current and number of trays in each group is .natc to the voltage of circuit 5 and ac terminals arranged described, cause pleted to build up the films.

both shafts being linked together as at o, contact strips are preferably of the requisite voltage to pass to each of the trays to'build up the film thereon.

The outer ends of the terminals are preferably spring controlled as shown in Fig. 3 so that when the rounded strips 13 engage therewith a positive connection is made.

In recharging an arrester, first one of the horns of the gap is swung clear of the other so as to isolate the arrester from the trans mission line and then the short-circuiting switches are closed to connect the groups of trays in parallel. \Vith the rheostat full in the switch is closed and the circuit com- As the films reform, the rheostat is turned so that this resistance is cut out in proportion to the advance in the formation of the'films andthe increasing resistance set up thereby. To

secure the best results it is advisable to repeat this operation three or four times. 7 i

hat I claim is as follows: 1. The combination with an electrolytic lightning arrester adapted to be applied to a transmission line and including a plurality 1 of aluminum trays having an electrolyte between them and means, forcharging said arrester, including an electric circuit separate from that of the transmission line.

2. The combination with an electrolytic lightning arrester adapted to be applied to a transmission line or main circuit, of a cir cuitadditional to the main circuit for charging the arrester. e

3. The combination with an electrolytic lightning arrester of cell formation and adapted to be applied to a transmission line or main circuit, of a circuit additional to the main circuit for charging said cells.

4. The combination with an electrolytic lightning arrester adapted to be applied to a transmission line or main circuit and having a plurality of trays with an electrolyte between them, of a circuit additional to the main circuit for charging the arrester.

The combination with an electrolytic lightning arrester adapted to be applied to a transmission. line and including a plurality of aluminum trays haying an electrolyte between them and means, for charging said arrester, including an electric circuit separate from that'of the transmission line and a variable resistance in said circuit.

6. The combination with an electrolytic tween them and means, for charging said arrester, including an electric circuit separate from that of the transmission line and a switch for controlling said circuit.

7. The combination with an electrolytic lighting arrester adapted to be applied to a transmission line and including a plurality of aluminum trays having an electrolyte between them, such trays being tapped off into I of aluminum trays with an electrolyte hegroups and Ireans, for charging said arrester, including an electric circuit separate from that of the transmission line and means in "said separate circuit for connecting the groups of trays in parallel.

8. In combination with an electrolytic lightning arrester including a plurality of aluminium trays having an electrolyte between them and being tapped off into groups. of an electrical circuit and means included in said circuit for connecting the groups of trays in parallel.

9. In combination with an electrolytic lightning arrester including a plurality of aluminum trays having an electrolyte between them and terminals connected to the trays. of an electrical circuit and short circuiting switches included in said circuit and adapted to be swung into engagement with the terminals upon the trays.

10. The combination with an electrolytic lightning arrestcl' including a plurality of aluminum trays having an electrolyte between them, of means for arranging said trays into groups in parallel and passing an electric current therethrough,

1!. ln (unnbination with an electrolytic lightning arrester including a plurality of aluminum trays having an electrolyte between them, terminals arranging said trays into groups having an equal number of trays respectively, insulated strips carrying the terminals and pivoted contact strips adjacent to said terminals and adapted to be swung into contact with the latter. of an electrical circuit having said contact strips included therein, a switch in said circuit and a rheostat also in said circuit.

12 The method of charging an electro lytic lightning arrester having a plurality tween them and being connected in series with an air gap inserted between the arrester and a transmission line, consisting in first increasing the air. gap to isolate the arrcster from the transmission line and then including the arrester in an electric circuit separate from that of the transmission line.

13. The method of charging an electrolytic lightning arl'ester havin a plurality of aluminum trays With an e ectrolyte between them and being connected in series with a horn gap inserted between the arrester and a transmission line, consisting in first spacing the horns of the gap to isolate the arrester from the transmission line, arranging the aluminum trays into groups in parallel and then including such groups in an electrical circuit separate from that of the transmission line.

14. The improved method of charging an electrolytic lightning art-ester adapted to be applied to a transmission line or main circuit, which consists in charging the arrester by a circuit additional to that of the transmission line.

15. The improved method of charging an electrolytic lightning arrester adapted to be applied to a transmission line or main circuit, which consists in disconnecting the arrester from the main circuit and charging the arrester by a circuit additional to that of the transmission line,

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

J. WESTHALL BROWN.-

Witnesses AUGUST REYMERT, CLEMENT F. ROZANSKI. 

